Korg's design here is stellar, the UI is about the easiest you are going to find by a large measure. Unfortunately, parts quality isn't all that good, so reliability and consistency suffers. I'd give it a 5 if it wasn't for that, but that's pretty darn important. I love the box and have an ESX-1 too, but constantly struggle with the data knob jitter that cropped up after about 6 months. The knobs in general seem pretty flimsy, I think you'll need to treat them gingerly, as they're probalby circuit-board mounted cheap plastic that won't take any abuse. Sounds are great, design ins great, but I wish someone else had been their parts supplier...

Rating: 3 out of 5
posted Saturday-Aug-28-2010 at 02:39

Dave
a hobbyist user
from Canada
writes:

I love this box! But the lack of the ability to play chords on a machine made for trance is kinda ridiculous. But at the same time a man living in canada wanting to play trance is also equally ridiculous. So anyways this baby absolutely awesome, especially for under 500 you can't go wrong at all. AT ALL! (its gotta be that dutch in my blood!)

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Monday-Sep-01-2008 at 10:18

barzin
a hobbyist user
from chicago
writes:

I've owned lots of gear and i bought EMX-1 mainly because I wanted some sort of all in one box. it's pretty dam good compared to anything in it's price range. And sure, connecting 5 synths and various analogue drums machines to an MPC 2500 gives you much, much, much more. but for less than $500 US, it's great techno/trance/dance machine. There will never be once piece of gear that does everything, but this is great alternative to buying a of bunch various step sequencer sythns/drum machines (ala, Tb-303, TR series, elektron gear, spectralis, Jomox, FutureRetro, etc). And for the record, yeah sure, i'd rather have all that, but good cabling for all those pieces will cost as much as an EMX. It's also a good starting point for new comers. Enjoy life and buy lots of gear. EMX is just another tool, but KORG did this one right, it's a fun piece of gear, but it doesn't do everything, but does a lot more than many other pieces.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Sunday-Jul-27-2008 at 20:38

doug
a hobbyist user
from USA
writes:

Not sure why these folks are complaining about slow attacks. The EG setting on the synth filter provides for very slow ambient style attacks. Granted, the note will retrigger after eight 16-step sequences have elapsed! Slow the tempo down a little or a lot and you're playing An Index of Metals. The idea that this is a techno box is absurd. It's at least a sequencer with five independent synthesizer parts. That alone takes you (or should take you) just about anywhere you want to go.

Rating: 4 out of 5
posted Thursday-May-29-2008 at 01:29

Bryan McShane
a hobbyist user
from Scotland
writes:

You cannot programme a slow attack. Do not be put off. Every groovebox has somethings 'missing' that invariably end up mounting on wishlists on user forums. The secret is not to get hung up about what the box can't do- or you would never finish a song on any of them. Instead enjoy what the box can do, and this one is quite amazing. I would say that the EMX is miles ahead of the competition. Go through every page of the instructions carefully (there is'nt that many of them). You might easily be missing some of the depth that this box provides. Do not part with your EMX you will only wish you had'nt.